Global Pulse

标签： Asia

亚洲

  • Annual lantern festival opens in Shanghai

    Annual lantern festival opens in Shanghai

    Shanghai has inaugurated its annual Yuyuan Lantern Festival, launching an expansive celebration that for the first time extends beyond its traditional Yuyuan Garden venue to incorporate multiple zones near The Bund. The festival commenced on Monday, January 26, 2026, and will continue through March 3, transforming the city’s historic districts into a luminous landscape.

    This year’s edition marks a significant geographical expansion, with illuminated displays scheduled to activate at The Bund Finance Center, Ancient City Park, Middle Fangbang Road, Fuyou Road, and The Bund itself beginning February 1. The festival combines traditional lantern craftsmanship with modern technological innovations and contemporary artistic designs, creating an immersive experience that connects Shanghai’s historical heritage with its futuristic vision.

    Visitors can engage with diverse attractions including interactive installations, cultural performances, culinary experiences, and retail offerings. The core thematic inspiration derives from Shan Hai Jing (The Classic of Mountains and Seas), an ancient Chinese mythological text dating back over two millennia. This mythological foundation provides the creative direction for the festival’s central light installations at Yuyuan Garden, offering a cultural journey through China’s rich mythological traditions.

    The expanded festival layout creates a continuous pathway of illumination through Shanghai’s most iconic landmarks, providing both residents and international tourists with a multifaceted experience that blends sightseeing with cultural education and entertainment.

  • Trump threatens to hike tariffs on South Korean goods over inaction on trade deal

    Trump threatens to hike tariffs on South Korean goods over inaction on trade deal

    In a significant escalation of trade tensions, former President Donald Trump declared Monday he would impose increased tariffs on South Korean imports, citing legislative delays in ratifying a previously agreed trade framework. The announcement, made through social media channels, specifically targets automobiles, lumber, and pharmaceutical products while threatening to elevate rates on other goods from 15% to 25%.

    This development marks a continuation of Trump’s unconventional trade strategy that previously relied on declaring economic emergencies to bypass congressional approval. The South Korean government, conversely, requires formal legislative endorsement for the trade framework initially presented in July and reaffirmed during Trump’s October visit to the country.

    Trump justified the measures by emphasizing the importance of reciprocal trade relationships, stating: “Our Trade Deals are very important to America. In each of these Deals, we have acted swiftly to reduce our TARIFFS in line with the Transaction agreed to. We, of course, expect our Trading Partners to do the same.”

    This move follows a pattern of aggressive trade tactics that characterized Trump’s presidency, including recent threats against European nations regarding Greenland and a proposed 100% tax on Canadian goods should the country enhance trade relations with China. The administration had previously linked tariff concessions to South Korea’s commitment to invest $350 billion in the U.S. economy, including revitalization projects for American shipyards.

    The announcement comes amid ongoing trade uncertainties, including pending Supreme Court decisions regarding presidential authority in imposing tariffs under emergency powers, ongoing Section 232 investigations, and upcoming renegotiations of the USMCA trade agreement with Canada and Mexico.

  • Israel retrieves remains of last Gaza hostage, military says

    Israel retrieves remains of last Gaza hostage, military says

    The Israeli military announced on Monday the successful recovery and identification of police officer Ran Gvili’s remains, marking the retrieval of the last hostage held in Gaza. This development represents a critical milestone in the initial phase of former US President Donald Trump’s proposed roadmap to conclude the prolonged Gaza conflict.

    Gvili had been held since October 7, 2023, when he was killed during Hamas’ assault on Kibbutz Alumim in southern Israel. His remains have been formally identified and will be returned to his family for burial, according to an official military statement.

    The resolution of this case triggers a significant diplomatic commitment: Israel has pledged to reopen Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt—the territory’s primary connection to the outside world—once Gvili’s remains are repatriated or the search operation concludes. This border reopening carries substantial humanitarian implications for Gaza’s civilian population.

    The ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, brokered in October under concerted pressure from regional powers and the Trump administration, established the framework for this development. Trump previously characterized the arrangement as a foundational step toward achieving what he described as a “strong, durable and everlasting peace” in the region.

  • Israel shells and bulldozes Gaza City as it finds remains of last captive

    Israel shells and bulldozes Gaza City as it finds remains of last captive

    Israeli authorities have confirmed the recovery of Ran Gvili’s body, the last remaining Israeli captive in Gaza, concluding a extensive military operation that involved substantial ground and aerial maneuvers. The 24-year-old Yamam counter-terrorism unit commando was reportedly killed during the October 7, 2023 attacks, with his remains subsequently taken into the Gaza Strip.

    The retrieval operation, initiated Sunday morning, involved intensive military activities in eastern Gaza City areas, particularly around al-Sanafour and al-Batsh cemetery. According to local reports from the Wafa news agency, the search involved extensive bulldozing operations that resulted in the desecration of multiple gravesites. The operation was accompanied by heavy artillery shelling and concentrated gunfire from military vehicles and quadcopter drones, resulting in numerous casualties and fatalities since Sunday.

    In the Tuffah neighborhood of northeast Gaza City, artillery strikes ignited fires that consumed multiple tents. Hamas officials responded to the Israeli announcement on Monday, asserting they had “exerted significant efforts” in locating Gvili’s remains and had provided Israeli authorities with all available information regarding the body’s location.

    The development potentially clears diplomatic obstacles for advancing to the second phase of the US-brokered peace initiative. Hamas emphasized that further progress requires Israel’s full compliance with the ceasefire framework implemented in October, including complete withdrawal from Gaza and unrestricted humanitarian access.

    Since the ceasefire began, monitoring groups have documented over 1,300 violations attributed to Israeli forces. The truce originally aimed to conclude more than two years of conflict that resulted in over 71,660 Palestinian fatalities and the destruction of nearly 90% of Gaza’s infrastructure. Post-ceasefire violence has claimed at least 486 lives with 1,341 injured, while Israeli authorities maintain strict limitations on humanitarian aid, continuing bans on tents, mobile homes, and heating supplies.

  • Work teams dispatched after earthquake hits Diebu county in Gansu

    Work teams dispatched after earthquake hits Diebu county in Gansu

    Chinese authorities have initiated a comprehensive emergency operation following a significant seismic event in northwestern China. A substantial earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale struck Diebu county within Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu province, prompting immediate national response measures.

    The tectonic activity occurred precisely at 14:56 hours on January 26, 2026, according to data released by the China Earthquake Networks Center. Scientific measurements placed the epicenter at coordinates 34.06 degrees north latitude and 103.25 degrees east longitude, with the seismic activity originating at a depth of approximately 10 kilometers beneath the Earth’s surface.

    In response to the seismic event, China’s emergency management apparatus swiftly activated a Level-IV national earthquake disaster emergency protocol—the country’s standardized response system for moderate seismic events. Specialized work teams have been deployed to the affected region under the coordination of both the State Council earthquake relief headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management.

    Emergency Minister Wang Xiangxi, who simultaneously serves as deputy commander of the State Council earthquake relief headquarters, has issued directives for rapid situation assessment and damage evaluation. The minister emphasized the critical importance of thorough field inspections and comprehensive preparedness for potential rescue operations. Fire and rescue personnel have already commenced door-to-door inspections in the most vulnerable areas to assess structural integrity and identify potential casualties.

    The coordinated response reflects China’s developed disaster management protocols for seismic events, particularly in mountainous regions like Gansu province which experience periodic geological activity. The deployment of specialized teams aims to ensure both immediate emergency response and medium-term recovery coordination in the affected Tibetan autonomous region.

  • Zhangjiajie National Forest Park transforms into a winter paradise

    Zhangjiajie National Forest Park transforms into a winter paradise

    Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in China’s Hunan province has undergone a remarkable metamorphosis into an ethereal winter landscape following recent heavy snowfall. The precipitation has dramatically altered the park’s famous quartz-sandstone pinnacles, dressing them in pristine white mantles while adorning vegetation with intricate crystalline frost formations.

    As dawn breaks, the park reveals its transformed splendor with morning sunlight penetrating lingering cloud layers to illuminate mist-enshrouded ridges in warm golden tones. The contrast between dark rock surfaces and snow-covered branches creates a striking visual spectacle throughout the mountainous terrain.

    Tourist operations continue seamlessly with cable cars transporting visitors between forested slopes while observation decks host photographers and sightseers clad in vibrant winter attire. These visitors pause to capture the breathtaking panorama of snow-draped peaks against expansive winter skies.

    The park’s administration has noted that these optimal winter conditions—combining snow-covered topography, exceptional visibility, and magnificent cloud formations—have established Zhangjiajie as Hunan province’s foremost cold-weather tourism destination. The phenomenon demonstrates how seasonal transformations can enhance natural landmarks’ appeal, offering visitors distinctly different experiences throughout the annual cycle.

  • Scores arrested for protesting at prison holding Palestine Action hunger striker

    Scores arrested for protesting at prison holding Palestine Action hunger striker

    London’s Metropolitan Police took 86 individuals into custody on Saturday during a demonstration outside Wormwood Scrubs prison in west London. The protest was organized in solidarity with Muhammad Umer Khalid, a 22-year-old activist from the banned organization Palestine Action who has resumed a hunger strike while in custody.

    Khalid represents the final member of a group of seven prisoners who initiated the hunger strike campaign to protest both their detention conditions and the government’s proscription of their direct action group. While three hunger strikers ended their protest on January 14th following the government’s decision to cancel a multi-billion-pound contract with the UK subsidiary of Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems, Khalid has recommenced his food refusal after a brief pause on January 10th.

    The young activist, who suffers from muscular dystrophy—a rare genetic condition causing progressive muscle weakness—previously halted an earlier hunger strike after his health deteriorated rapidly within 12 days. Khalid currently remains held on remand at HMP Wormwood Scrubs facing charges related to an alleged break-in by Palestine Action activists at RAF Brize Norton airbase in June of the previous year.

    Among his demands are immediate bail and the cessation of what he describes as severe restrictions on his personal correspondence, telephone privileges, and visitation rights. Khalid reported through an intermediary that he had received just one visit, a single postcard, and merely two emails over a three-week period.

    The Metropolitan Police stated that protesters were detained on suspicion of aggravated trespass, alleging they refused to vacate the prison grounds and obstructed staff from entering or exiting the facility.

    A Ministry of Justice spokesperson responded on Sunday, characterizing the protest escalation as “completely unacceptable” while acknowledging the right to peaceful demonstration. The spokesperson emphasized that prison security was never compromised but warned that those responsible for creating risks would face consequences. The ministry confirmed that prisoners on hunger strike receive regular medical monitoring, including heart checks and blood tests, with hospital transfers occurring when healthcare teams deem it appropriate.

  • Sudan’s RSF launches offensive in Blue Nile state

    Sudan’s RSF launches offensive in Blue Nile state

    Sudan’s ongoing civil conflict witnessed a significant escalation as Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary units, in coordination with allied fighters from Abdelaziz Adam al-Hilu’s Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North (SPLA-N), initiated a large-scale offensive against Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) positions in the strategic Blue Nile state on Sunday. The border region, which shares boundaries with both Ethiopia and South Sudan, became the epicenter of intense combat operations.

    According to intelligence sources within Sudan who characterized the assault as ‘exceptionally heavy,’ military reinforcements had been strategically deployed to the area weeks in anticipation of such an attack. Fierce engagements were reported in proximity to Ad-Damazin, the provincial capital, with RSF units reportedly advancing from the Ulu area in the Baw district. Video evidence analyzed by conflict monitors indicated RSF progression toward a remote SAF garrison at al-Silk, approximately 16 kilometers from their starting point.

    While pro-RSF media channels circulated footage purportedly showing paramilitary fighters within captured military installations, SAF command sources maintained that their forces successfully repelled the assault and retained control of the garrison. The origin of the offensive has become a subject of intense international speculation, with SAF-aligned sources alleging cross-border involvement from South Sudan and Ethiopia. Specifically, Sudanese intelligence suggests the RSF utilized a suspected base in Ethiopia’s Benishangul Gumuz region to stage the operation—a claim that, if verified, would directly implicate both neighboring nations and their regional ally, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in the conflict.

    The UAE continues to deny allegations of providing material support to the RSF, despite mounting evidence from flight tracking data, satellite imagery, and extensive field reporting. Military analysts aligned with the SAF interpret the Blue Nile offensive as a strategic diversion intended to redirect SAF resources away from the Kordofan region, where fierce fighting has recently culminated in the SAF’s capture of the Habila locality in South Kordofan. The conflict has increasingly employed drone warfare, with both sides utilizing unmanned aircraft that have resulted in civilian casualties, including women and children. The RSF claims to have recently shot down a Turkish-manufactured Bayraktar drone in the al-Farshaya area.

    Since its inception in April 2023, the Sudanese civil war has resulted in a devastating humanitarian catastrophe, claiming tens of thousands of lives and displacing over 14 million people from their homes, creating one of the world’s most severe displacement crises.

  • Erdogan lobbies EU’s von  der  Leyen to protect Turkish auto exports

    Erdogan lobbies EU’s von  der  Leyen to protect Turkish auto exports

    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has formally escalated concerns regarding proposed European Union procurement regulations that would disadvantage non-EU manufacturers, warning of significant consequences for regional economic integration. In a diplomatic letter dated December 4th to European Commission leadership, Erdogan expressed apprehension that draft legislation prioritizing ‘Made in Europe’ products in public procurement could fundamentally undermine the EU-Turkey Customs Union established in 1995.

    The contested regulations would establish minimum local-content requirements for green technology procurement including electric vehicles, batteries, and renewable energy components. This policy shift would deprioritize lowest-cost bidding in favor of European-origin products, effectively excluding Turkish manufacturers from competitive participation in EU public contracts.

    Industry analysts highlight the substantial stakes for Turkey’s automotive sector, which exported approximately $30 billion worth of vehicles and components to EU markets in 2025, representing 72% of Turkey’s total automotive exports. The customs agreement currently covers industrial goods and processed agricultural products but excludes services, agriculture, and digital trade sectors.

    The draft legislation’s definition of ‘Made in Europe’ encompasses EU member states and European Economic Area countries (Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein) while explicitly excluding Turkey. Though the proposal acknowledges exemptions for countries with existing free trade agreements, it remains uncertain whether Turkey’s unique customs union status would qualify.

    Diplomatic sources indicate the legislation remains subject to ratification processes that could require several months of negotiation within European parliamentary bodies. Officials familiar with the matter suggest potential flexibility for accommodations given Turkey’s deeply integrated supply chains with European manufacturers.

    Business representatives argue the proposed regulations would effectively terminate customs union benefits for critical Turkish industries, particularly automotive suppliers whose growth has been fundamentally tied to EU market access. Experts urge Turkish companies to enhance direct lobbying efforts in European capitals to protect their commercial interests.

  • Bangladesh alleges huge overpricing of electricity with India’s Adani supply deal

    Bangladesh alleges huge overpricing of electricity with India’s Adani supply deal

    A Bangladeshi government investigation has uncovered substantial irregularities in a major cross-border electricity supply agreement with Indian energy giant Adani Group, raising serious concerns about systematic collusion and financial misconduct. The National Review Committee on Power Purchase Agreements revealed on Monday that the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has been paying approximately 50% above market rates for power supplied from Adani’s coal-fired Godda plant in India’s Jharkhand state.

    The committee’s report identified what it termed “egregious anomalies” in the contract negotiation process, suggesting deliberate overpricing that generated excessive profits distributed among businesses, politicians, and bureaucrats. According to the findings, Bangladesh is overpaying by 4-5 cents per kilowatt-hour under the 25-year agreement, resulting in annual payments of approximately $1 billion to Adani Power.

    The Godda power facility, which commenced operations in 2024 as a $2 billion project including transmission infrastructure, supplies between 7-10% of Bangladesh’s baseload electricity demand, serving a population of 170 million people with 13 GW of power requirements. The committee reported that BPDB incurred losses totaling $4.13 billion during the 2024-25 period directly attributable to the unfavorable contract terms.

    In response to the allegations, Adani Power stated that it had not yet received the official report but maintained that its pricing remains highly competitive within the regional energy market. The company emphasized its continued power supply despite accumulating receivables and urged the Bangladeshi government to address outstanding payments that are affecting its operational capabilities.

    The investigation specifically targets contracts negotiated during the administration of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who maintained close ties with India before being ousted in August 2024. The political transition has significantly altered bilateral relations between the neighboring nations and prompted comprehensive reviews of previously established agreements.

    The committee has recommended immediate contract cancellations where evidence of corruption exists and called for widespread renegotiation of pricing terms with private power providers to align with market-competitive levels. These developments occur amidst Bangladesh’s preparation for parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12, which will determine new leadership following extended political turmoil.